Achillea plant named &#39;gipi whit&#39;

ABSTRACT

An  achillea  plant particularly distinguished by numerous small, white, double flowers, medium green foliage with narrow leaves, a compact, low-spreading and mounding habit, vigorous with abundant branching, immature flowering stems that obscure the mature stems with spent flowers and good outdoor performance with good heat tolerance, is disclosed.

GENUS AND SPECIES

Achillea ptarmica L.

VARIETY DENOMINATION

‘Gipi Whit’

BACKGROUND OF THE NEW PLANT

The present invention comprises a new and distinct cultivar of achillea, botanically known as Achillea ptarmica L. and hereinafter referred to by the cultivar name ‘Gipi Whit’. The achillea variety ‘The Pearl’ (unpatented) which is an open-pollinated, seed propagated variety was sown in April 2003 and grown in Gilroy, Calif. in an evaluation field. A single plant selection was made from that sowing in August 2003, and asexually propagated.

The new cultivar was created in August 2003 in Gilroy, Calif. and has been asexually reproduced repeatedly by vegetative cuttings and tissue culture in Gilroy, Calif. and Moncarapacho, Portugal over a two-year period. The plant has also been trialed at Hillscheid, Germany. The present invention has been found to retain its distinctive characteristics through successive asexual propagations.

Plant Breeder's Rights for this cultivar have been applied for in Canada on Oct. 17, 2005 and with the European Union on Oct. 14, 2005.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following are the most outstanding and distinguishing characteristics of the new cultivar when grown under normal horticultural practices in Hillscheid, Germany.

-   -   1. Numerous small, white, double flowers;     -   2. Medium green foliage with narrow leaves;     -   3. A compact, low-spreading and mounding habit;     -   4. Vigorous with abundant branching;     -   5. Immature flowering stems that obscure the mature stems with         spent flowers; and     -   6. Good outdoor performance with good heat tolerance.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

This new achillea plant is illustrated by the accompanying photographs which show overall plant habit including blooms, buds and foliage of the plant; the colors shown are as true as can be reasonably obtained by conventional photographic procedures. The photos are of plants grown in a greenhouse in Hillscheid, Germany in a Spring trial setting.

FIG. 1 shows a close-up of a portion of the plant including blooms and foliage of a 16-week-old plant.

FIG. 2 shows the overall plant habit, including buds and foliage of a 10-week-old plant.

DESCRIPTION OF THE NEW CULTIVAR

The following detailed descriptions set forth the distinctive characteristics of ‘Gipi Whit’. The data which define these characteristics were collected from asexual reproductions carried out in Hillscheid, Germany. The plant history was taken on 7- to 8-week-old plants, pinched once, and grown in 12-cm pots in a greenhouse in Hillscheid, Germany in July and August 2005. Observations were made in mid-May 2005. Color readings were taken in the greenhouse in mid-May 2005 under natural light. Color references are primarily to the R.H.S. Colour Chart of The Royal Horticultural Society of London (R.H.S.) (2001 edition).

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

-   Classification:     -   -   Family.—Asteraceae.         -   Botanical.—Achillea ptarmica L.         -   Common name.—Sneezeweed or sneezewort. -   Parentage:     -   -   Parent.—‘The Pearl’, a white-flowered, seed-propagated,             open-pollinated variety (unpatented). -   Growth:     -   -   Form and habit.—Spreading to decumbent; the immature             flowering stems obscure the mature stems with spent flowers,             thus reducing the time needed to remove any visible spent             flowers.         -   Growth and branching habit.—Compact and free-branching.         -   Height (measured from the top of the soil).—15 cm to 21 cm.         -   Width (horizontal plant diameter).—35 cm to 40 cm.         -   Time to produce a finished flowering plant.—12 weeks for a             12-cm pot in the Spring.         -   Outdoor plant performance.—Use in mixed container plantings             and as bedding plants.         -   Time to initiate and develop roots.—21 to 24 days.         -   Root description.—Fibrous, freely branching. -   Stems:     -   -   Number of branches per plant.—35 to 50.         -   Length (of basal branches).—22 cm to 27 cm.         -   Diameter (measured from the midpoint).—0.3 cm.         -   Internode length.—1.5 cm to 2.5 cm.         -   Color.—RHS 145A.         -   Anthocyanin.—Absent.         -   Texture.—Pubescent; soft hair on immature stems and sparse             hair on mature stems. -   Leaves:     -   -   Arrangement.—Simple and alternate; partly appearing as             whorls         -   Immature leaf.—Color: Upper surface: RHS 143A. Lower             surface: RHS 143B.         -   Mature leaf.—Color: Upper surface: RHS 137B Lower surface:             Between RHS 137B and RHS 143B. Length: 2.8 cm to 3.5 cm             Width: 0.5 cm to 0.7 cm Shape: Lanceolate Apex: Acute Base:             Attenuate Margin: Serrate Texture: Upper surface is slightly             glossy and sparsely pubescent (with no to sparse hair) and             lower surface is pubescent         -   Petioles.—None, leaves are sessile. -   Flower buds:     -   -   Shape.—Round and somewhat flattened.         -   Length.—0.4 cm.         -   Diameter (horizontal).—0.6 cm.         -   Color (at tight bud).—RHS 145B. -   Inflorescence:     -   -   Type.—A capitulum (composite-type); solitary inflorescences             emerge from the leaf axils at the upper nodes.         -   Blooming habit.—Continuously flowers from the Spring through             the Fall.         -   Number of inflorescences per stem.—10 to 12.         -   Lastingness of the individual blooms on the plant.—3-weeks             or greater, depending on humidity, temperature and light.         -   Fragrance.—None.         -   Horizontal diameter of inflorescence.—1.8 cm.         -   Vertical diameter of inflorescence.—0.9 cm.         -   Disc diameter.—0.4 cm to 0.5 cm.         -   Disc floret.—Quantity (per inflorescence): 25 to 30 Shape:             5-lobed and narrow funnel-shaped Tube color (closed): RHS             150D (greenish-yellow) Tube color (mature): RHS 4D             (cream-yellow) Length: 0.3 cm Diameter (at apex): 0.15 cm             Apex: Broadly acute Apex color: RHS 2D (pale yellow) Base:             Fused         -   Ray floret.—Quantity (per inflorescence): 50 to 70 Shape:             Lanceolate Color (immature and mature): Upper surface: Pure             white, whiter than RHS 155D Lower surface: RHS 155D (white)             Length: 0.6 cm Width: 0.2 cm Apex: Broadly acute Base: Fused             Margin: Entire Texture: Smooth and papillose         -   Penduncle.—Color: RHS 143C Length: 2.0 cm to 5.0 cm             Diameter: 0.2 cm Texture: Weakly pubescent -   Reproductive organs:     -   -   Androecium.—Location: Present on disc florets only Stamen             quantity: One per floret Filament: Color: RHS 150D Length:             0.2 cm Diameter: 0.015 cm Anther: Pollen color: RHS 9A             Pollen amount: Moderate         -   Gynoecium.—Location: Present on ray florets only Quantity:             One per floret, 2-lobed Pistil length: 0.2 cm to 0.3 cm             Stigma: Color: RHS 151B, translucent Style: Length: About             0.4 cm Diameter: About 0.025 cm Color: RHS 151B translucent,             but lighter. -   Fruit/seed set: None observed -   Disease and insect resistance: Has not been evaluated.

COMPARISON WITH PARENTAL AND COMMERCIAL CULTIVARS

‘Gipi Whit’ differs from the parent ‘The Pearl’ (unpatented), in that ‘Gipi Whit’ has a more free-branching, spreading and mounding plant habit, while ‘The Pearl’ has upright-directed stems with fewer branches, is taller and is more recommended for use as a cut flower than ‘Gipi Whit’.

‘Gipi Whit’ differs from the commercial variety ‘Ballerina’ (unpatented), in that ‘Gipi Whit’ has a more free-branching and mounding plant habit than ‘Ballerina’. 

1. A new and distinct cultivar of achillea plant as shown and described herein. 